Page 115 of UNAwere

Hannah grunts. ‘Idiot.’

I come out of the hall, biting down on my lower lip.

Jude sees me first, and his eyes soften. He’s adjusting the collar of his flannel shirt, and I know he’s just shown Hannah my mark. ‘Hey.’

‘Hey.’ I smile at him.

Hannah groans, turning to me. ‘You two can’t do this shit around Warner.’

I shake my head. ‘I won’t.’

‘I’ll try to leave you alone,’ Jude tells me. Ever since I entered the room, his eyes haven’t left me. And I’m trying to remember all the times on our trip here when that happened. Where he looked at me the way he is now – with all the love he knows how to give.

I stare at him. ‘Yeah. I mean… whatever works.’

Hannah rubs her face, turning to her brother. ‘Go. You need to collect yourself before you pick Warner up.’ She gestures between us. ‘And learn how to stop ogling his bonded.’

Jude’s mouth screws up. ‘My mate,’ he corrects.

My heart stutters a little, hearing those words on his lips again. I swallow thickly.

‘Stop being a territorial arse and get out of here,’ Hannah says, whacking his arm.

Jude casts one final glance back at me. ‘Stay with Hannah. She’ll keep you company.’

I nod. ‘Of course.’

He sighs, lifting his hand to reach out to me, but then seems to think better of it.

‘I’ll be back for dinner,’ he murmurs.

Hannah shakes her head when he’s gone and eyes me. ‘This is a problem.’

‘It’s fine,’ I say, holding up my hands. ‘We, er, sorted it out.’ I shrug, giving her a non-committal smile. ‘We’re just going to ignore it.’

‘You marked him.’

‘So…?’

Hannah’s head tilts to the side as she gazes at me. ‘Don’t you realise what that means?’

‘I wanted to give him something—’

‘He reeks of you. And if anyone sees your mark on him, they’ll know.’ She sighs, shaking her head. ‘It’s just as well he didn’t mark you back.’

I bite my tongue but don’t tell her that I’d practically begged him to.

‘I had another heat cycle. I’m sorry, I don’t really understand…’

Hannah shakes her head again, but her gaze has softened now. ‘You’re not to blame. Not only are you just responding to your body’s urges for your mate, you’re also extremely uneducated about how Were biology works.’

My cheeks flame. ‘Luminaire really failed me, didn’t it?’

Her mouth twists. ‘I’d be speaking to your alpha, if I was you.’

I consider it. I’ve never told Nolan about the pent up resentment I have towards him and our pack, simply because I never knew it was there, sitting in my chest like a festering wound, until Jude pointed it out. But Hannah’s right. It’s time I accept my Were self completely, and let Nolan know that the systems Luminaire set up to make humans feel more comfortable have all but backfired on us Weres.

‘We, um, didn’t do anything. If you were wondering…’